It has long been known that tools comprising a metal part and a handle from plastic material can be marked on the upper end surface of the handle by painting or printing, where the marking can provide information about the type, size, catalogue number or manufacturer of the tool. The end surface is, however, often subjected to severe wear by friction against the hand as with screwdrivers, or by impacts as with chisels, tending to make the marking illegible.
It is also known from patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,224 to mark handles for tools such as screwdrivers by moulding a characteristic raised or recessed symbol on a flat delimited part of the end surface. This will allow identification of the tool even in darkness, but does not allow the handle end to rotate smoothly and comfortably against the skin of the hand.
It is also known from patent DE 43 43650 to make the handle end surface with a separately made plug insert, distinguished by painting, printing or contrasting colour. In such case it is also difficult to make the end surface smooth enough for comfortable use of a screwdriver. If used on a handle of a chisel, the plug is likely to loosen, and stronger fixation by threads is expensive to make and assemble.